It is encouraging that farm shops are now doing so well in the countryside. There is also a demand for farmers' markets, as well as local retailers, such as bakers and cheese makers. Our village shop in Belsay sells a wide range of local produce, from lamb chops to cheese, as well as newspapers, and it is well supported. The National Trust now has farm shops on the majority of its estates and works with its tenant farmers to encourage the highest quality of food production.

National red squirrel week was celebrated this month, and this is a countryside cause which is being increasingly supported in the north. The North American grey squirrel was imported to Britain more than 150 years ago; it carried the deadly squirrel pox virus that effectively wiped out most of our country's native red squirrel population.

Thankfully, the reds are slowly returning to Northumberland. The government-funded Red Squirrel Protection Partnership (RSPP) says it has killed more than 18,000 greys since January 2007, chiefly in this area.

Autumn is a good time to look for squirrels in woodlands, as they are active during daylight hours. The National Trust property of Wallington Hall, near where I live, was once a stronghold for red squirrels, but there has been a serious decrease in their numbers over the past 10years. However, it is good news that a few have been spotted in the area.

In the grounds of the property an observation hide has been set up that the public can use, and I have recently seen three red squirrels from there. Much of the help for our reds' return is due to the efforts of the RSPP. This is the time of the year when young squirrels move into new areas and the public are encouraged to report sightings of them to their local wildlife trust.